- Costa Rica is in Group D along with Brazil, Colombia and Paraguay.
- Joel Campbell, Francisco Calvo and Manfred Ugalde are some of the outstanding players for the Ticos.
Costa Rica, one of the most frequent guests at CONMEBOL Copa América™, will play its sixth edition in the United States in 2024. With a generation of young players called up for the tournament, here are some standouts who can make a difference for the Central American team.
Costa Rica is in Group D and has its first match against Brazil (June 24) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, before facing Paraguay and Colombia to close the group stage. There are still tickets available to follow Los Ticos in this CONMEBOL Copa América 2024™.
These are the players to watch out for in the Costa Rican National Team:
Joel Campbell
Campbell is Costa Rica's main player at the moment following the retirement of national icons Keylor Navas and Bryan Ruiz. Campbell is also one of the most experienced in the squad who have been called up for this tournament. The 31-year-old has scored 27 goals in 139 games, made two appearances in the CONMEBOL Copa América ™ (2011 and 2016) and has played in three FIFA World Cups during his career.
Emerging from Saprissa, he arrived at England's Arsenal at a young age before gaining experience across Europe playing in France, Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy. He returned to America in 2019 to play with León and Monterrey, in Mexico, and then to his country last year, where he defends the shirt of the Alajuelense.
Campbell should be at the center of Gustavo Alfaro's offensive plans as one of the most technical players on the squad. He is especially good at creating opportunities for the rest of his teammates on both sides of the field, with dribbles and shots. The winger also stands out for his speed, which makes him an ideal piece for initiating and finishing quick counterattacks.
Francisco Calvo
The 31-year-old defender is the captain of the Costa Rican national team, leading the defense as a central defender or even as a left-back. Calvo is a good player with the ball at his feet, whether building play from the back or with vertical passes, and he has a good sense of positioning to disrupt opposition attacks. His interpretation of space makes him an asset in set pieces, with a good number of goals scored thanks to his precise movement and heading ability: no wonder, he has more than 50 goals in his career in the sport, an impressive number for his position.
The defender also began his career with Costa Rica in 2011 and, like Joel Campbell, played in the last three FIFA World Cups in which his national team has participated. He has five appearances in CONMEBOL Copa América™ in 2011 and 2016 and, in 2024, he has the opportunity to approach 100 games representing his national team. He arrives in the United States with 93 appearances with the Ticos.
Calvo began his career in Herediano, in his country, with stints at Pérez Zeledón, Santos Guapilés and Saprissa in the same league. He has also played for Nordsjaelland (Denmark), Minnesota United, Chicago Fire, San Jose Earthquakes (all in the United States) and, most recently, Konyaspor, in Turkey. He currently plays for FC Juárez in Liga MX.
Manfred Ugalde
The young Manfred Ugalde is an example of the new generation that Gustavo Alfaro has been implementing under his command in Costa Rica, being the Argentine's favorite starter in the national team's attack. He is also one of the most involved in goals since the arrival of the coach (2 goals and 4 assists) and has already played ten games with the Ticos at the age of 22.
Coming from Saprissa, the player was signed by Belgian side Lommel in 2020 and, a year later, he signed for FC Twente. It was in the Dutch league where he experienced his greatest success, registering 22 goals and 14 assists in 84 games played, increasing his value as a striker. As the point of reference in attack, Ugalde knows how to play in the spaces of the rival defense, appearing in the box to shoot or to find a freer teammate. Even with his short stature (1.73m), he impresses with the headers he can score, either by the accuracy of his shots or by his movement anticipating opponents.
CONMEBOL Copa America United States 2024™ is only the second major international tournament of Manfred Ugalde's career, a great opportunity for him and the other young players who are also participating in this Costa Rican campaign.
